Inkjet pen with proximity interconnect

Abstract

An inkjet pen includes a print head comprising a substrate, a plurality of inkjet nozzles formed into the substrate, integrated circuitry on the substrate for driving the inkjet nozzles, and a proximity interconnect transceiver formed into the substrate for receiving print data. An interconnect chip having a counterpart proximity interconnect transceiver passes the print data to the print head using capacitive coupling.

1. An inkjet pen comprising:
 a print head including,
 a plurality of inkjet nozzles, 
 integrated circuitry for driving the inkjet nozzles, and 
 a first proximity interconnect transceiver in electrical communication with the integrated circuitry; 
 
 a semiconductor chip including,
 a second proximity interconnect transceiver defined on a first side of the semiconductor chip that is oriented toward and adjacent to the first proximity interconnect transceiver to define capacitive coupling, and 
 a conductor defined within the semiconductor chip, the conductor defined to couple the second proximity interconnect transceiver to a bond pad defined on a second side of the semiconductor chip, the conductor placing the bond pad at a spaced apart orientation that is away from the inkjet nozzles; 
 
 a wire bond coupled to the bond pad for carrying print data, the wire bond connecting at the spaced apart orientation that is away from the inkjet nozzles, such that the spaced apart orientation reduces exposure to ink corrosion of the wire bond and of encapsulation covering the wire bond; and 
 a dielectric adhesive in contact with both the print head and the semiconductor chip, the dielectric adhesive being aligned between the first and the second proximity interconnect transceivers. 
 
     
     
       2. The inkjet pen of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor chip is spaced-apart from the print head and the first proximity interconnect transceiver is spaced-apart from the second proximity interconnect transceiver. 
     
     
       3. The inkjet pen of  claim 1 , further including power connection pads, in electrical communication with the integrated circuitry, disposed on a second end of the print head, with the second end being disposed opposite to a first end where the first proximity interconnect transceiver is located, the plurality of inkjet nozzles being positioned between the first and second ends, the integrated circuitry being disposed between the first end and the plurality of inkjet nozzles, wherein the plurality of inkjet nozzles are formed between the power connection pads and the first proximity interconnect transceiver. 
     
     
       4. The inkjet pen of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second proximity interconnect transceivers further include transmit and receive pads, the transmit and receive pads being protected from exposure to corrosive materials by a top dielectric and passivation layer. 
     
     
       5. An inkjet pen comprising:
 a carrier; 
 a print head attached to the carrier; 
 a plurality of inkjet nozzles formed into the print head; 
 integrated circuitry on the print head for driving the inkjet nozzles; 
 a first proximity interconnect transceiver formed into the print head for receiving print data destined for the integrated circuit; 
 a semiconductor chip comprising electrical pads, a conductor, and a second proximity interconnect transceiver, the electrical pads passing the print data to the second proximity interconnect transceiver through the conductor, the second proximity interconnect transceiver being in electronic communication with the first proximity interconnect transceiver using capacitive coupling, with the semiconductor chip being spaced-apart from the print head, the conductor placing the electrical pads at a spaced apart orientation that is away from the inkjet nozzles, such that the spaced apart orientation reduces exposure to ink corrosion of a wire bond connected to the electrical pads and of encapsulation covering the wire bond; and 
 a dielectric adhesive in contact with both the print head and the semiconductor chip, the dielectric adhesive being aligned between the first and the second proximity interconnect transceivers. 
 
     
     
       6. The inkjet pen of  claim 5  wherein the second proximity interconnect transceiver is formed on the semiconductor chip which is positioned adjacent the print head so that the first and second proximity interconnect transceivers are in electronic communication. 
     
     
       7. The inkjet pen of  claim 6  wherein the nozzles are formed into a top surface of the print head and the first proximity interconnect transceiver is formed into the top surface of the print head, a portion of the semiconductor chip overlaying the print head to place the first and second proximity interconnect transceivers in electronic communication. 
     
     
       8. A method for ink jet printing, the method comprising:
 passing print data in the form of electrical signals to an interconnect chip;
 passing print data through a conductor from a bond pad in a first end in the interconnect chip to a first capacitive coupler in a second end in the interconnect chip, the conductor placing the bond pad at a spaced apart orientation that is away from ink jet print nozzles, with the interconnect chip being spaced-apart from the ink jet print nozzles, such that the spaced apart orientation reduces exposure to ink corrosion of a wire bond connected to the bond pad and of encapsulation covering the wire bond; 
 passing the print data from the first capacitive coupler to a second capacitive coupler in a print head using capacitive coupling to drive logic circuitry included in the print head, wherein a dielectric adhesive in contact with both the print head and the interconnect chip is aligned between the first and the second capacitive couplers; and 
 firing the ink jet print nozzles contained in the print head in accordance with the print data to eject ink onto a print media.